Harry Potter and the Ultimate Sacrafice
by marauderingmarauderer
Summary: POST HBP! NOT SLASH! HG, RHr, RT, BF... Harry goes on the quest for the last horcruxes and to fulfill his destiny. Crappy Summary, but the story is good.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone!

It is me, maraudering marauderer once again, this time with a new story!

My other story, Finding Myself, is currently on hiatus. I never intended for it to happen but I unfortunately started the story without even thinking about it.

So here we go again, the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Ultimate Sacrafice

CHAPTER ONE: UNHAPPY SATISFACTION

The "Riddle House" was still a very great mystery to the citizens of Little Hangleton. It seemed to give them chills because of its quite interesting history. The original family, the Riddles, had died there for no particular reason.

"They were not murdered or killed by any means," said the scientists after the biopsy. In fact, they seemed to die of natural causes, which in this situation were not _natural_ at all.

Then, only two years before, the caretaker, Frank Bryce, who still took care of the "Riddle House" even though the Riddles died, was found dead in the house, for reasons the same as the Riddles themselves.

Now, almost everyone did not like Frank Bryce for reasons that they all thought that _he_ murdered the Riddles. Little did they know that the real murderer of both the Riddle family _and_ Frank was in the so called "Riddle House."

And little did they know that the murderer was in that oh-so-infamous house.

It was a dark night outside the infamous "Riddle House." A dark, shadowy figure stood, breathing in as another figure stood shakily beside him, cowardly. The first figure closed its eyes and then opened them quickly as its patience dimmed.

"Wormtail! What news of the attack on Hogwarts?" asked the first figure, evil seeping into its voice.

"Master," sniveled the man named Wormtail, "there is yet to be any news on the attack, my Lord. Perhaps in a few moments, I'll -"

"Do not waste my time with your pathetic sniveling, Wormtail," said the first figure, "Go back and check for any more news and if you come back with nothing, well…let's just say the new recruits have been…_itching_ to try the Cruciatus curse."

"Ye-yes, my Lord. Right this instance, Master," Wormtail said, looking like he'd just rather run far, far away from his "Master."

Lord Voldemort was not happy. It was never a good thing for anyone when he was not happy. It was, perhaps, then either an unfortunate or fortunate thing that there was news.

"My Lord, Master," came in the sniveling Wormtail, "there is news from Amycus, Master. He'll be in a moment, my Lord."

Lord Voldemort's patience was wearing thin. If Amycus did not present the news that he wanted, there would be severe consequences to whomever got in his way.

Finally, Amycus came in and bowed gracefully and gave his report.

"My Lord, Dumbledore is dead."

"Ah…," sighed Lord Voldemort unnaturally and contentedly.

"However," continued Amycus, cautious of his Master's volatile mood swings, "there was a complication, my Lord."

"What was the complication, Amycus?" said Lord Voldemort, slits for eyes flashing red.

"Well, my Lord, it seems that the _boy_ was... inadequate for the job," said Amycus, not sure of how to continue. "When the time came to complete his task, my Lord, he was…frightened and Severus had to kill Dumbledore, Master."

"I see," Lord Voldemort said contemplating.

On one hand, Dumbledore was dead and on the other, the person designated to do the task failed and his most trusted servant, Severus Snape, had to do it for him. The Dark Lord thought of what he should do next.

"Go summon Severus, the boy, and Lucius," commanded Lord Voldemort with an feral grin, "and Narcissa as well."

Amycus left to do his task, quickly as possible. The Dark Lord's temper was as infamous as he was…and volatile. The Dark Lord did not have to wait long before Severus, the boy, and his parents came.

"Master…" murmured all of them as they bowed down.

"Severus," Lord Voldemort directed his attention to his right hand man, "I have been informed of what you have done. Do you have any explanation for your actions?"

"My Lord," Snape hesitated and chose his words carefully, "I felt the need to do Draco's assigned task because it seemed that – at the time -, my Lord, that he would not follow through with his actions and I -"

"Is this true, Draco?" asked Voldemort now turning his attention to the sixteen year old boy. "Is it true that you failed to do the task that I gave you? That you had it all planned out, but when the time came, it was your _cowardice_? I am reviled at the thought. There is no good or evil, only power…and those to weak to seek it. Have I never told you this? Has you father never told you this?"

At this point now Voldemort turned his full fury upon Lucius Malfoy.

"Why is it, Lucius, that your son has failed to do this simple assignment that I have asked? Is it bad blood? Is it in your blood, however pure, that cowardice resides? Tell me Lucius, for if the answer were yes, it would explain many things. Oh yes, it would! I -"

"A simple assignment?" shrieked a feminine voice. "You gave me son the hardest of all tasks and he nearly made it! How could you –"

At this point, however, Lucius grabbed his hysterical wife and covered her mouth before she could say anything else.

"Please, My Lord, my wife, she isn't well! She doesn't understand what she is saying! She has not been well, Master, and wrought with worry she has been! Please do not punish her for –"

"SILENCE!" commanded Lord Voldemort in all his unnatural power. "Narcissa, Narcissa, Narcissa… what am I to do with you now? Before, all I was going to do was a simple Cruciatus curse for the whole family. But now, ah…yes. I figured out the perfect punishment!

"Draco, come over here now. Yes, Draco, to obtain yourself in my good graces and to salvage the name Malfoy, I give you one simple _task_; this task does not involve killing, though you may find it unpleasant.

"Draco, to prove yourself you must Cruciatus your mother."

At this Draco visibly paled – not to say that he was not already pale to begin with.

"B-b-but, s-s-sir," stuttered Draco fear evident in his voice and his face.

"But nothing Draco," said his father with worry etched in his face as well, "the Dark Lord has given you a task and he has allowed for you to stay alive and in his good graces."

Draco looked from his master, to his father, and then to his poor mother. The decision that he had to make was one that would define his life for years to come. He only hoped that he decided to make the correct one.

With that thought, he raised his wand at his mother.

A flash of light could be seen outside the window of the infamous Riddle house, but none of the citizens of Little Hangleton seemed to notice.

Harry Potter was currently in his room at number 4 Privet Drive reading and researching. Worry was etched into his face as if carved by stone.

Though he was absorbing all the information that he was reading his main focus of attention was between two thoughts.

The first thought was "Voldemort, the locket, the cup, the snake, something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's" and the second thought was simply "Ginny Weasley."

He had obtained the skill to absorb information whilst thinking of these two particular thoughts the past week at Privet Drive, otherwise nothing would ever get done.

The first of his thoughts obtained to the threat that is known as Lord Voldemort and the few remaining parts of his soul. The horcruxes could be hidden anywhere in the world and Harry barely knew where to start.

Now that Harry thought about it, the more it made sense. How else could someone use something as simple as a diary to possess an eleven-year-old girl?

It also explained why Lord Voldemort looked so utterly…inhuman and unnatural.

The second thought, however, had nothing to do with the ever-looming threat of death that hung over Harry. Ginny Weasley had been a silver lining in Harry's darkened life. With the threat of Voldemort, however, he realized that, no matter how much his life was amazing with her, he could never bear to have anything happen to her.

"One near-death experience was enough per person," Harry thought sardonically.

There were only three exceptions to that rule; himself and his two closest friends, Ron and Hermione.

If Harry was not so completely wrapped in his own musings and studies, he would have smiled at remembering how the Dursley's first reacted to not only taking in their _nephew_ once again but also taking in two other _freaks_.

But, then again, if he hadn't been so completely busy, he also might have noticed a faint _pop_ right in back of him.

The figure slowly crept upon Harry looking at Harry as if it had been waiting for this moment for awhile now.

"BOOO!" yelled the figure, scaring the poor savior of the wizarding (and muggle) world.

"MERLIN'S BEARD!" yelled Harry.

Harry took a second to recollect himself as he began to yell out,

"RON! What the hell were you thinking! What is you freaking problem?"

At this Ron Weasley could not resist laughing his head off.

"Sorry, Mate," Ron managed in between laughs, "I just couldn't resist with 'Mione not being here and all."

Harry, seeing his chance for revenge, started to say,

"Oh! So is her name 'Mione now? I didn't know she had it changed! Or is it just something between you and her? Does she call you her Ickle Ronneikins? Or can I have a nickname as well? I rather like –"

But whatever nickname Harry rather liked became unknown as a pillow came full force at his head.

A pillow fight ensued between Ron and Harry. Either Ron forgot he could use magic now or he chose not to use magic, but he didn't and Harry found himself at an advantage.

The pillow fight was still going when a certain bushy-haired girl apparated right in the middle of oncoming pillows.

The result of it was not pleasant for Ron and Harry (AN: RUN, HARRY, RUN!) as they found themselves being whacked over the head by pillows, magically and repeatedly, while Hermione was ranting and lecturing them.

When all the "excitement" died down, they all sat down and began to discuss what they were going to do.

"Well," started off Ron, "We are going to go to Bill and Fleur's wedding, right?"

"Yah," replied Harry, "We could go to there next week and see the wedding, then I was thinking of going to Godric's Hollow afterwards."

"Are you sure you really want to go there?" asked Hermione, "I mean, how would do you think you would take it?"

"I'm not sure," started Harry, "all I do know is that I want to see where this all began, well, for me anyways and seeing my parents' graves is something that I've always wanted to do. It just seems like if I don't do it now, I might never do it at all."

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, "What are you saying? Of course you will defeat Voldemort! You're the only one who can! How can you say such an awful thing like -"

"Calm down, Hermione," interrupted Harry soothingly, "I know that I am going to defeat Voldemort, even if I have trouble believing it. It's just that I have the feeling that something bad is going to happen, something really bad."

"Well, for my mum's sake I hope it doesn't happen during or before the wedding." said Ron, trying to make the conversation light, "She'd have a heart attack, you have no idea how much effort she's been putting into this thing. Man, I sure hope she doesn't get like that when I get married."

"Hmm…" pondered Harry aloud looking pointedly from Ron to Hermione, "I wonder with whom would you get married to?"

Crimson rose form the cheeks of Harry's best friends (AN: and yes, I mean their face) as Harry found himself defenseless against the tirade of pillows from both of his friends until Uncle Vernon finally got enough courage to open the door and to tell them politely to "Shut Up."

As Harry fell asleep, he thought about how he hoped the Golden Trio's friendship would never change.

THE END OF CHAPTER ONE!

PLEASE REVIEW!

I hoped you all liked the story very, very much and remember to review! If it sucked horribly, please review, I could always use some constructive criticism!


	2. Chapter 2

In my last chapter I regrettably have to say that I forgot to put a disclaimer on the last chapter so this counts for the first and this chapter:

I OWN NOTHING RELATED TO HARRY POTTER.

Hello everyone!

I am very thankful to those people that reviewed and to those that haven't, well…please review!

To DivineDarkness: Thank you for your review. It has been much appreciated and yes, I agree, it is a very "friendship" start for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But remember that their friendship is not going to be a "Golden Trio," never fighting thing. Not to fear, though, everyone will be friends by the end, but that won't mean that there won't be…_bumps_ along the way.

To Strayphoenix: Thank you for seeing what I was trying to do with the book. _Yes_, my book is dark but with light-hearted moments. That is what the sixth book was and I am trying to stay as true to the books as possible (but with throwing my own little twists as well). I am trying to stay true to the characters and I am glad you felt that they were.

To FluffySmarts: Thank you for your review. I am a Harry/Ginny shipper and nothing will change that. I think it is pretty clear with whom J. K. Rowling wants (or wanted) Harry to be with. I am not a fan of slash, but to each their own.

To emoskater: Thank you for your review. I didn't understand what you said, however.

Well, everyone, it is time…

Without further adieu, Chapter 2 of "HP and the Ultimate Sacrafice"…

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CHAPTER TWO: PETUNIA'S HIDDEN TRUTHS

It was day before Harry left the Dursley's home once and for all. At the moment, Ron and Hermione were at Diagon Alley, getting anything that might look useful on their journey. Harry very much wanted to join them but he knew that he could not for at least another day. The reason was that Harry, Hermione, and Ron thought that if Harry stayed in the house for a full week and a half and not going out, then the blood magic would be satisfied.

However, being in one place for so long left Harry somewhat a little stir crazy. Without Ron and Hermione there, Harry's mind would wander and Harry had many questions and thoughts in his head.

He spent a lot of time thinking about Hogwarts. He missed Hogwarts as he did every summer but he knew he couldn't go back. He could not imagine returning wizarding world without going to Hogwarts.

He thought of his life before Hogwarts, Privet Drive. He thought of Uncle Vernon, Dudley, and Aunt Petunia. As he thought, he remembered what had happened with the dementors the summer before his fifth year at Hogwarts. He also remembered how his Aunt Petunia talked about the dementors and Azkaban.

"How would Aunt Petunia know about the wizarding world?" he thought.

If Harry didn't know any better, he probably would have thought that he had taken some Felix Felicis today. Uncle Vernon was at work, and Dudley…well Dudley was at a friend's house ever since his _freak_ cousin and his two _freaky_ friends came to stay.

Aunt Petunia and Harry were the only ones in the house now.

Harry thought in his room, and quickly made up his mind. It was his last chance to solve the mystery that was Petunia Dursley.

Harry quickly got up from his desk. His book, "Ancient Spells for the Modern Wizard," completely forgotten. He opened his door, bounded down the stairs, and from the hallway, saw his Aunt in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, trying to clear his mind of anything but what he was going to say.

"Well," he thought, "here goes nothing."

And with that he entered the kitchen. If it were another time he might have laughed at how his Aunt went from peacefully trying to spy on Mrs.-Number-Five to absolutely shocked and horrified that her _nephew_ came into the kitchen.

Harry stood there, wondering what was going to happen next. They stared at each other and when it became clear that Aunt Petunia wasn't going to do anything except stare at her nephew as if he was lower than a house elf, he decided to make the first move.

"Err…" started Harry gathering up his courage, "Hello, Aunt Petunia. Care to err…have a spot of tea?"

Whatever Aunt Petunia expected her freakish nephew to say, it certainly wasn't that. She, even though the thought of having tea _alone_ with her freakish nephew was the last thing she wanted to do, nodded her head of fright of her freakish nephew.

"Well," said Harry, "I'll put the tea on the kettle, then."

"I wonder what she's thinking," thought Harry, "Oh well, in any case, if I want that information than I am going to need to do this properly so that I might be able to get on her…less than friendly side."

Harry noticed that his Aunt Petunia was watching her nephew intensely and nervously as he made the tea. He hoped that she saw how he made everything perfectly and how he went to great lengths to present the biscuits in a manner that were as if she was attending a formal dinner party.

All in all, he wanted her to think that her freaky nephew was acting normal.

"Well then," started Harry as he was pouring the steaming tea into both their cups, "How many sugars do you take?"

"T-t-two," replied his Aunt nervously.

"And any milk?" Harry asked politely, yet again.

"N-no," replied his Aunt nervously, yet again.

There was a bit of an awkward bit of silence, where all you could hear was the clinging of spoons against the teacups.

He saw how his Aunt Petunia eyed her tea suspiciously, and he briefly wondered if she thought that he put something in it, but after a moment his Aunt took the tiniest of sips and put the cup straight down.

After awhile, he was about to say something when his Aunt Petunia suddenly said,

"What are you up to, boy?"

This question did not catch Harry off guard. But the answer was a mystery – even too him.

'_What _am_ I doing?'_ Thought Harry Potter, the Chosen One.

"Err…" started Harry, "I just, err.. it is just that I-"

Harry stopped. He took a deep breath and decided to do what he came here to do.

"Well, Aunt Petunia," Harry said, "Do you remember the night Dudley was attacked by dementors?"

Aunt Petunia's mouth thinned into a nonexistent line as, not only had he mentioned that night where her poor, precious Dudders was almost stripped of his soul, but that he had such audacity to say a freakish word like that.

"Of course," she replied harshly, "how could I forget that night?"

"Well then you'd also remember how you seemed to know more about the wizarding world than you have previously let on," Harry replied coolly.

"I don't know_what_," she replied haughtily, "you are talking about."

"Oh, honestly," he replied exasperated, running a hand through his hair, "do you expect me to believe that?

But all his _delightful_ Aunt Petunia did in reply was simply huff.

"I was there! You knew about the dementors and Azkaban! You knew all along and yet you never told me!" Harry said, not even realizing that he said a familiar line six years ago, "Not even Uncle Vernon knew that you knew so much!"

Her eyes narrowed as Harry brought in his Uncle Vernon into the conversation.

"Of course he didn't know!" replied his Aunt Petunia harshly, "He would think of me as a freak, like one of you, or _her_!"

"Why can't you just say her name?" asked Harry desperate for answers. "Was she really that horrible? What made you hate her so much?"

"It-it-," answered Aunt Petunia, taking a deep breath.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," she said shortly, getting up from the chair and leaving the kitchen.

Harry was stunned, his once and last chance and last chance had failed. He would never unravel the mystery that was his Aunt Petunia.

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It was the next day and he was feeling extremely depressed.

'_I should be feeling happy now. I am finally leaving Privet Drive forever,' _he thought.

How could he feel happy now?

'_How could I have been able to get a memory from Prof. Slughorn and not get a simple answer from my Aunt Petunia?' _he thought.

He then thought of how he had taken Felix Felicis to obtain the memory and how he had gotten Slughorn drunk. He briefly wondered if he could get Aunt Petunia drunk, but he pushed that thought far from his mind. If he wasn't feeling so disappointed, he would have noticed how funny that remark was.

'_Oh well then,' _he figured, '_I guess it will always be a mystery._'

Just then, he heard two subtle _cracks_ and he jumped up a little.

Ron and Hermione were there, holding new books, potions supplies, viles, and a single luggage case.

"Hey Harry," Ron greeted him, and then unloading all the supplies commented, "Phew, that stuff was quite heavy!"

Harry raised his eyebrows,

"Whatever happened to packing light?"

"Well, Harry," started Hermione, "We aren't sure how long we are going to be out so we figured that we might as well be prepared."

"Uh huh," said Harry skeptically, "so what did you get?"

Hermione frowned at Harry, but nonetheless replied,

"Well, we were able to get money from your Gringotts account like you said so we were able to get this," she said, skipping over everything - even the books – and showing him the luggage case.

"Oh," said Harry not understanding what was so special about the luggage case, "a…luggage case. How nice."

"Oh Harry," said Hermione excitedly, "It is not just _any_ luggage case! This one is the newest and most expensive model! It comes with so many charms and features!"

"Features?" asked Harry, not fully comprehending what a luggage case could 'feature' in the wizarding world.

"Yes, Harry, features," exclaimed Hermione, "Honestly, do you realize that you're thinking like a muggle? The features of the trunk are that it is feather-light, you can shrink it, and-"

"Hermione," interrupted Harry, "not that I don't think that is good, couldn't we have just done those charms ourselves?"

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, "Let me explain, if we were to shrink the luggage case, only the luggage case would shrink because of another charm that would stop anything from happening to the luggage itself and, you never let me finish explaining, the thing that makes this luggage case so special is that it has different compartments that are the size of rooms!"

Harry's jaw dropped. He had heard and seen this type of trunk before, but he didn't think that they would be for sale in Diagon Alley.

"It has," Hermione started launching into what Harry had unconsciously dubbed as 'lecture" mode, "a variation of the impervious charm, protection charms, and a sort of gravitational charm so that, no matter what position the luggage case is, nothing will go out of place. There are seven rooms. Now I thought that it would only be fair if we each got our own room, so that is three down."

"Hermione?" asked Ron somewhat sheepishly, "What were you thinking of putting in the other rooms? I never got that far into thinking."

"Well, I thought of having a study and library room (together of course) and then a potions-making room. I think that it would also be beneficial to have a kitchen of sorts. I also thought about a containment chamber for any dark arts artifact we may come across or a dueling chamber to practice spells and the sort."

"I think that is a great idea, Hermione," mused Harry, "However, how big are the rooms?"

"Hold on let me check." replied Hermione as she checked the luggage case facts, "The rooms are about 15 feet by 13½ feet. Why, Harry?"

"Well, I figured that since we would probably need the two rooms, Ron and I could share a room," replied Harry, "Unless you would mind Ron?"

"Uh," started off Ron, "Well, I guess I liked the idea of having my own room but I'll have to live with the fact that I will be living with the Chosen One again."

That comment earned Ron a pillow straight to the face.

For the rest of the day, the Golden Trio spent the day relaxing and when the time to leave came the day after, they couldn't wait to leave.

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Harry was standing at the door of number four Privet Drive. He couldn't believe he was going to do what he so longed to do for his entire life.

As he reached for the handle he could still hear Dudley and his gang of friends laughing at him, as he turned the handle he could hear all the times his Uncle Vernon screaming at him, and when he took his first step outside he could hear his Aunt Petunia shrill voice calling out his name. In fact he could hear it quite loudly, so loud, in fact, that he turned his head and was surprised to see his Aunt Petunia behind him.

"Boy," she said uncertainly, "I never liked you."

"Err…yes, I knew that," said Harry confused.

"Now," Aunt Petunia said, "the chances of me seeing you ever again are slim to none, hopefully. However, in the case of you seeing me again, I don't care if I am dying or being tortured, _you are to leave me alone_."

"But," started Harry.

"Yes," she said, "I know all about Voldemort and his _freakishness_, even by your standards, but you are to promise me that you will leave me and _my family_ alone. I think I deserve that much in my life. I'd rather die by _his_ freakishness than to be saved by _yours_."

Harry shook his head resignedly and then looked his Aunt Petunia straight in the eye and said:

"Yes, Aunt Petunia."

He knew that if the time ever came, he probably would try and save his Aunt Petunia or the rest of _her_ family, but for now, he knew it was all he could do to keep her peaceful.

"Good bye, Aunt Petunia," he said as he walked out the door.

She watched him walk out the door and to the sidewalk and with a sigh she muttered,

"Good bye, Lily."

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Do you like it?

Do you hate it?

I need to know so please, REVIEW!

Warning, Spoiler!

(Don't read if you want to not know anything about the next chapters)

Now…do you really think that I would leave you in the dark about Aunt Petunia? Of course not, I am merely drawing it out and adding hype to it.


	3. chapter 3

Sorry for those of you have waited for me to update (if there are any of you out there).

I have been completely swamped with school lately and have done quite well (surprisingly enough).

I have changed the name of the story to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The link to it is  name surprisingly fit with what I had planned for the story and is a much more appropriate title than Ultimate Sacrafice since I realized, it had nothing to do with the story now that I have thought about it in its entirety.


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